


The Border Between Individuality and Singularity

by Himejoshi_Reisoda



Category: Touhou Project
Genre: Drama, Introspection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-17
Updated: 2018-06-26
Packaged: 2019-03-20 12:06:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13717356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Himejoshi_Reisoda/pseuds/Himejoshi_Reisoda
Summary: I was thinking of scraping this chapter but I might as well upload it since its done.





	1. Trapdoor

It was a night like any other for The Secret Sealing Club, who were once again in search of all things occult. The location they were currently wandering was an abandoned shrine, apparently host to all sorts of paranormal activity. Renko had expected to make some sort of discovery that evening, but they had found absolutely nothing after searching so thoroughly.

“There's too many sensationalist articles these days, I want to see some real ghosts” Renko said with a groan. “Want to head back? I doubt we’ll find anything today” Renko looked up as spoke to see the sky, from what she could see of the stars it was 8:47 PM. She sighed, a bit defeated at the disappointing investigation. They stood together at the entrance of the derelict shrine, not a single person in sight along the road ahead. 

“What’s up, Merry? What are you looking at?” Renko asked as she noticed Maribel glancing over her shoulder. She seemed anxious as she looked back past the broken door, swinging gently on a single hinge.

“...I felt like we were being watched just now”

“Really?! Can you see anything? Many a boundary?” She asked eagerly. Even though she ought to have been afraid, Renko felt a renewed sense of hope in their search. 

“I did for a moment but… it's gone now”

Maribel walked back into the shrine, over to where she had been looking, Renko following close behind. She approached the deteriorated back wall of the shrine. “Let me try something” she murmured as she reached out to touch the wall. In an instant the peeling plaster was split apart, a jagged opening like broken glass forming beneath her palm. For a moment the two just stared in awe at the fissure and the darkness within, completely stunned by what they had witnessed.

“...Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go!” Renko said as she grabbed Maribel’s hand which still lingered in the air. Together they stepped through into the endless darkness. The other side of the fissure stretched out in every direction, the entire space a deep purple dotted by green doors suspended in the air.

“I don’t think this is Gensokyo” Maribel said incredulously as they continued to walk deeper into the nexus of passages. Through the doors they could see all kinds of places: sweeping green plains, towering skyscrapers, rural villages and scenery so alien they could hardly comprehend. Their meandering path led them further from their world, the fissure growing distant as they lost themselves in the dreamscape, mesmerised by the sights beyond the doors.

Up above they noticed two figures, each dressed in pink and green, floating amidst the doors.

“Look! There they are!”

“She opened it herself!”

Their voices echoed eerily throughout the abyss, causing Renko and Maribel to freeze in aprehension. “Maybe we should turn back…” Renko whispered as fear began to take hold. Before they could attempt to return, a hand was placed on each of their shoulders. They both jolted in surprise and turned to see a tall, blonde woman wearing an orange tabard decorated with constellations. A self-satisfied look on her face as she scrutinized the pair.

“Very impressive Maribel! You have great potential” the woman followed the statement with a haughty laugh, the figures floating above joining her chorus with their own cackling. A million questions were shooting through their minds. The first Maribel decided to voice was “How do you know my name?”.

“I've been watching you two for a long time. You and I share a similar ability, that is how I've come to know of your ‘Sealing Club’” 

“What do you mean similar ability? Just who are you?!” Renko exclaimed, hoping for some clarity as she became more unnerved. The woman turned away from Maribel to look at her, that arrogant expression still twisting her features.

“Never you mind, Renko. How about you head off and investigate Gensokyo alone for now” she sounded entirely disinterested, ending her sentence with a wave of her hand. In an instant the ground beneath Renko’s feet gave way, a newly formed door opening to a bright place. Over the rush of air she heard Maribel call out to her, however the door soon slammed shut above her, cutting off that dark purple world.

She braced to hit the ground, However she did not hit the ground at all.

“...Sumireko?”


	2. Torii Gate

Renko anxiously opened her eyes to see the blinding sun overhead, a drastic difference to the world of doors she had just fallen from. A pair of red eyes peered down at her, the owners face completed twisted in disbelief. Renko was initially scared as she met the stranger’s stare, but she quickly realised she had been caught from her fall by this person. The first question the pink-haired woman asked was: “Sumireko?”

It was a name Renko had never heard before, only causing her mind to race even faster. She shook her head, only managing to mumble out “I’m Renko” in response, confusing the woman even further. She then set Renko down onto her own two feet, as she met the ground she stumbled and Renko realised her legs were shaking. Whether it was adrenaline or fear she could not tell, but the sudden fall had disturbed her.

The woman retrieved Renko’s hat from where it had fluttered down to and placed it back onto the girl’s head, offering a kind smile as she did so after noticing how shaken she seemed. 

“It's dangerous for an outsider here, so why don't you come with me to the shrine? I’m Kasen by the way. Ibaraki Kasen” Kasen began leading the way down the dirt path. Renko following soon after despite her initial suspicion; it was quite obvious that Kasen was not a human, considering how she caught her with relative ease as well as those red eyes. Renko already knew of Gensokyo’s hostility to outsiders, so she considered herself lucky for being found by someone who wasn't craving for human stew.

Their journey together was a silent one, each of them lost in their own thoughts. Now that Renko took the time to notice, the world she was walking through must really be Gensokyo. The horizon lined with mountains was just as Maribel had described; a far-cry from the cluttered skyline of the urban outside world.

Up ahead a Torii gate surrounded by cherry blossoms was coming into view. Although Renko was certain it was not the right season for it, not in the outside world at least. Together they passed under the gate and entered the grounds. Outside the shrine two people were sitting out on the veranda, lazily sipping away at their cups. One dressed in red and white, the other in black and white.

As they approached the black-white witch waved, offering a nonchalant “yo”. The shrine maiden at her side stood and mumbled a welcome and something about tea.

“Wait Reimu, this isn't Sumireko” Kasen said. The shrine maiden turned back with an expression of confusion on her face, exchanging a glance with the witch who was equally puzzled.

“Who is this then?” Reimu asked with an exasperated tone, like she knew it was bound to be troublesome.

“This is another outsider named Renko. It looks like she was brought here by Okina”

The name ‘Okina’ put a look of annoyance onto the shrine maiden’s face and Renko could guess she wasn't particularly pleased to hear it. With a heavy sigh Reimu ushered everyone into the shrine. Kasen, Renko and the witch entered after her hastily, joining her at the table sitting in the middle of the disorderly shrine.

“Your going to need to tell us what happened to you, Renko” Reimu said, her attitude becoming business-like, as though she were about to conduct an interrogation. With the three strangers looking at her intently, Renko tried her best to explain the events which had transpired earlier that day.


	3. Behind Closed Doors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was thinking of scraping this chapter but I might as well upload it since its done.

Meanwhile in The Land of Rear Doors

 

“What did you do to Renko?!” Maribel shrieked, grasping helplessly at the door dissipating before her eyes.

“There's no need to fret over it. Renko is safe, I can assure you” Okina said dismissively. However, Maribel’s angry yet somewhat alarmed expression did not look so convinced. Okina continued: “If you want to see where Renko is, why not open a boundary and see for yourself?”.

Okina snapped her fingers and the two dancers jumped into a mad frenzy of movement. It was a dance devoid of grace, yet the two were completely synchronized in their insane prancing. Despite not being capable of opening the borders which she had so often seen, Maribel felt as though it was worth trying, at least to verify Renko’s safety.

Maribel reached out to the boundaries of the world and summoned forth a rough-edged rupture. Within was the glowing skyscrapers of the outside world, the vision was fragmented, like looking through a fractured glass pane. The failed attempt faded and shifted, revealing a world of pink criss-crossing grid lines she did not recognise.

Maribel felt lost. The boundaries which had once been nothing but a visual phenomena were suddenly within her reach. They stretch beyond any place on Earth or even the illusory realms connected to Gensokyo, leading Maribel to feel overwhelmed with the capability to see further than what is directly ahead.

“Keep trying” Okina ordered. Maribel felt the woman’s gaze fixed on her, boring - burning into her back. From behind she heard the bamboo sweeping through the air, their dancing growing progressively reckless and frenetic. Maribel did not have the courage to turn back and look directly into the insane spinning and whirling of the two dancers, fearful of what might happen if she dared to.

She let go of the boundary and created it anew, an ephemeral glow pulsing along the serrated perimeter of the fissure. Rather than focusing on Renko, she had begun to feel like making the connection to Gensokyo stronger. With each passing scene she felt more and more impatient, the scenery of Gensokyo was becoming familiar, yet she could not find what Okina had asked her to.

When she finally managed to create the desired boundary, she saw Renko walking along a dirt path dotted with trees, a strange woman with a bandaged arm walking beside her.

Okina was pleased to see a successful use of her ability, complimenting her potential and worth. Mai and Satono danced a dance of celebration rather than insanity, cheering and laughing as they did so.

Maribel couldn't stop a crooked, prideful smile from creeping onto her face.


	4. The Mysterious Woman Working with Gaps

“I knew this would be trouble! Just how many people are there who can manipulate borders?” Reimu groaned, distressed by the thought of another reality warping trickster.

“Merry can't manipulate borders… at least not until today”

“Okina’s servants can draw out latent abilities in people, that's probably what happened to your friend” Marisa said, offering some clarity to Renko’s situation.

In a serious tone Kasen stated “If that's the case then we need to find Maribel as soon as possible. If we let this continue for too long she might become a youkai”. After learning that a human was in danger she had decided to take the position of leadership onto herself, it was her duty as a hermit after all.

“I don't want to have to exterminate this outsider, so the sooner we find her the better” Reimu said in agreement, then continued with a sigh: “the seasons haven't even returned to normal yet, I can't believe she's causing more trouble so soon”.

“I wonder what Okina would even want with this human… those two dancers can't manipulate borders but they manage just fine. There must be something more to this if she went to the trouble of abducting two outsiders” Marisa theorised.

“You're exactly right, Marisa” said a fifth voice.Two red bows appeared from thin air and parted to form a dark space lined with eyes. From within a blonde woman poked her head out, a hand wielding a fan rising soon after to cover a familiar face.

“I had a feeling you would show up, Yukari. I take it you already know whats going on” Reimu said to the mysterious woman. Renko found it surprising how nonchalant the people of Gensokyo could be, especially when youkai are warping straight into their homes.

“Indeed I do” Yukari replied “I don't want Okina to have anymore power than she currently does, so let's resolve this quickly”.

“I bet you just want that outsider as your Shikigami instead. I don't want you to have anymore power either so don't get involved” Kasen said coldly, the atmosphere of the shrine quickly becoming tense.

“Regardless of what anyone wants, you three will have a hard time defeating Okina without my help. Depending on Maribel’s state, it may be impossible” Yukari responded with slight irritation. Kasen didn't have anything to say to that, instead just glaring down at the table in silence.

“...Hey, Yukari, can't you just use your gaps and abduct Maribel back?” Marisa suggested, trying to bring the conversation back on track.

“I've tried looking within the Land of Back Doors but I can’t pinpoint her location, its in complete disarray. It's terribly uncharacteristic of her to keep such a low profile at a time like this”

“So what do we do? Wait for her to bring the fight to us? We really can't wait around while Maribel is being exposed to her ability” Reimu said.

“Yes, this is quite troubling… Renko, you was with Maribel when she first opened a boundary, correct?” Yukari questioned.

“...Yes… I was” Renko replied. Yukari was the spitting image of Maribel, her face may be more mature but the eyes are exactly the same. Talking to someone who looked so similar like a stranger was slightly disorienting.

Yukari snapped her folding fan shut and threw it directly at Renko. Everyone at the table at the table was briefly shocked at the sudden attack, however the folding fan did not hit Renko. Inches from her face the fan levitated harmlessly, stopped dead in its tracks by the hand Renko had instinctively raised to protect herself. She stared in amazement at the fan floating before her.

Kasen stood abruptly “Yukari! What are you doing all of a sudden?!” she shouted in anger.   
“I wanted to see if Renko had been affected too” Yukari replied, meeting Kasen’s glare with a calm tone. “Why did you have to nearly skewer her in the process?!” Kasen roared. “You're being dramatic, Kasen. I wouldn't have skewered her” she replied as she retrieved the fan through another gap, where it promptly returned to cover her face. Kasen dropped back down into her seat, face resting in her palms as she tried to calm herself down.

“Anyway, it's no surprise that you and your doppelgänger share the same ability”

“A doppelgänger, huh. That would explain the similarities between her and Sumireko” Marisa said as she eyed the outsider closely.

Being a fanatic of the occult, Renko was interested in things such as doppelgängers. Although she wasn't particularly thrilled that she had one herself. It was especially worrying to know that this ‘Sumireko’ was a frequent visitor of Gensokyo. The thought of accidentally bumping into her made Renko shudder.

Despite the uneasy feeling the blonde woman gave her, Renko forced herself to ask the burning question on her mind “...Is that what you, Okina and Maribel are? Doppelgängers?”

“...No, not quite. Our situation is much more complicated”

“What do you mean ‘complicated’?” Kasen said, finally rejoining the conversation, a scowl still set squarely on Yukari.

“We’re in a hurry, remember? There will be plenty of time for an explanation after--” Yukari stopped abruptly. A distant look passing over her. It was impossible to tell whether she had sensed some disturbance in the fabric of reality or remembered she had left the oven on. After a curt “excuse me” she sunk back into the void which she had entered from, gone without a trace.

“This is so typical of her, up and leaving at a time like this” Reimu grumbled, exchanging looks of annoyance with Kasen and Marisa.

“I guess we’ll just have to go door hunting without her, shouldn't be too late to gather up some doyou, right?” Marisa said, looking as though she was ready to take the fight to Okina then and there.

“Even if we find a door, it’ll be impossible to corner her if she's hiding in the Land of Back Doors” Kasen said defeatedly.

Renko wasn't entirely sure what the others were talking about, but the situation was beginning feel hopeless. As things grew silent in the shrine, Renko wondered if she would be able to develop the telekinesis she was capable of. Under other circumstances she would have been over the moon to have discovered such an ability. Yet saving Maribel was at the forefront her thoughts and she doubted she could use her newfound ability to help.

From outside the sound of beating wings was slowly growing, then a hard thump on the wooden flooring echoed throughout the shrine grounds. The newest visitor let themselves in hastily, panting heavily and swiping at her dampened forehead.

“What are you in such a hurry for, Aya?” Marisa asked as Aya caught her breath.

“Okina is up to something. Those two dancers are causing trouble in the village”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that I think about it, Renko is not really a normal human. Doppelgängers are something outside of common sense so maybe thats why she's so drawn to Maribel and Gensokyo. Before I thought of her as the opposite of Maribel, someone logical who was strongly connected to the outside world. Now I see her as someone who might just get dragged into fantasy along with Maribel. But that would mean there really are no Touhou characters who are within common sense. Depending on whether you believe Sumireko is her doppelgänger or ancestor is up to you. For the story I'm going with doppelgänger because thats how I interpret them.


	5. Youkai amongst Humans

“Okina hasn't shown herself yet. But those dancers have been ranting and raving about ‘The Power of the Secret God’. It's disturbing the villagers” Aya said, flipping through a crumpled notepad and scribbling new jottings at inhuman speed.

“What's with her job interviews? It sounds more like she's starting her own cult now” Marisa said, half-joking and half-creeped out by her own recent confrontation with the sage.

“Whatever it is, we are going to put a stop to it” Kasen announced decisively. “I don't know what we will encounter once Okina appears, but just to be sure we don't have to exterminate the outsider, let's bring Renko along. If Maribel has lost her sense of self then we will at least have a way to reach her memories”

“Are you sure that's a good idea? That telekinesis wasn't particularly strong. Can she even fly?” Reimu said unconvinced by Kasen’s plan.

“I'm not suggesting that she fight. We have an opportunity to convince Maribel to not attack if we bring Renko” Kasen tried to sound confident in her plan, but she doubted they would be able to avoid violence with two trigger-happy humans and a dogged tengu involved. 

“If she can use her ability maybe she can fly too. Why don't you give it a go, Renko?” Marisa suggested.

It was a strange thing to be asked so suddenly. She didn't know where to start, but everyone was looking at her expectantly. Without any other ideas, Renko jumped; willing herself to take flight. But she landed back on the ground, still within held tightly gravity’s grasp to no one's surprise. Renko couldn't help but feel slightly embarrassed by her unimpressive attempt, but the other girls were more concerned with the incident at hand.

“Maybe if we drop her from-”

“No Marisa” Kasen cut her off firmly.

“What's going on? Isn't this Sumireko? I've seen her flying just fine before. And who is this Maribel you keep talking about?” Aya had stopped her careless scrawling and reached for the camera dangling around her neck. Kasen shook her head, declining the impending question before she asked for a snapshot of the outsider.

“This isn't Sumireko, its Renko. A Doppelgänger. I'll explain all of this to you later but you definitely can't publish any of it” Kasen stated.

“I can't make a promise like that” Aya replied with a look of distaste.

“Listen Aya. This outsider was sent straight to me of all people in Gensokyo, thats evidence enough for me that Okina wants me to be involved. And she knows the tengu are watching the village, she wants us all watching her!” 

“So what then?! We are going to fight her either way and I'm not letting this story go!”

“If she didn't want us to know she could have just… gotten rid of Renko… but she didn't. It's no coincidence that we are all here. We are going to follow her plan just like she wants!”

“If that hag is abducting outsiders then you can bet I'm going to publish-”

“Can you two shut up already! Argue about this on your own time. We need to get moving before this incident escalates anymore” Reimu interjected, looking slightly irritated herself. The hermit and tengu both quietened down, briefly exchanging glares in a silent promise of continuing their conversation later.

“Marisa, just fly with her on your broom please” Reimu said as she briskly exited the shrine, the others. The witch retrieved her broom from the veranda where it rested and placed it into a levitating stan, then hopped aboard and waved Renko over. As magical as riding a broomstick sounded in fairy tales, the prospect of actually traveling by such means was frightening. But it was much better than Marisa’s original idea, so she decided not to complain and joined her on the broomstick.

The broom promptly began to rise upwards, hardly making a sound apart from the rustling of the bristles tied to its end. Renko dared to look down and immediately regretted it; seeing her own legs dangling over the sheer drop was nauseating. Renko grabbed hold of Marisa in a panic and the witch let out a laugh in response. 

They continued rising higher and higher until they reached the clouds, the moisture prickling her skin as they passed above into the sunny blue sky above. The other girls were flying up ahead, picking off large winged creatures that peeked their heads through the clouds along the way. Watching them soar through sky so effortlessly was a surreal sight to behold; even whilst fighting they carried themselves with grace. Even with the fighting going around her, Renko found the sky above the clouds to be strangely peaceful.

“What are those things you’re shooting at?” Renko asked after watching Reimu clear the path ahead with a wave of amulets.

“Those things? They’re fairies. No need to worry over them, they’re just small fry. Been really aggressive lately though thanks to Okina” Marisa answered as she fired off lasers at the stragglers. “Y’know, most regular humans can take down some fairies, maybe be you could do that too?”

“I don't think I can. I just don't know how”

“That's alright, if you keep at it you’ll get better. I’ve been using magic for so long I can't even remember what life is like without it, it's just second nature”

“I'm kind of disappointed… I thought I might be able to help save Maribel but I just ended up being a burden”

“That's not true. Kasen said there's chance you can help and she knows more about Okina than the rest of us. Besides, you've got the best exterminators in Gensokyo on your side, we’ll get this incident solved in no time at all!”

Eventually, the exterminators dipped back below the clouds, where a sprawling circuit of residential streets lay. An eerie silence was hanging over the village. Mai and Satono were visible in the centre of a street; not necessarily blocking traffic, but it had ceased flowing anyway. To the remaining humans below it may seem that the village had become a ghost town, but from above it was clear that each and every youkai in the area was watching from a distance, waiting in the calm of the storm. 

Overhead several tengu loomed in suspicion, almost like vultures preparing to swoop down and snatch up the offending intruders. The gathering of curious bystanders consisted mainly of disguised youkai rather than real human villagers. If it wasn't for their unnerving chanting there wouldn't be so much wariness in the onlookers. There might have even been applause if their dancing wasn't so erratic.

“The secret God of Gensokyo! The absolute secret God! Accept her and be blessed!” they sang as they continued to dance. At the forefront of the crowd was Keine, she seemed to be very stressed whilst asking the dancers to leave, but they seemed to be ignoring her. Keine knew that no other youkai was going to be as diplomatic if a fight broke out so it was. Reimu rushed ahead to join Keine in the the crowd, Keine was slightly relieved but it seemed things would definitely become violent with a certain pair of exterminators on scene. 

Aya rejoined her comrades conspiring on the rooftops, a final glare cast Kasen’s way as the hermit returned to the ground. Renko felt extremely relieved to be back on her feet as Marisa touched down, landing in the midst of the curious onlookers. Marisa and Kasen made short work of ushering the humans away. They didn't have to say much, some humans only got a glance of them before hastily making an exit from the situation, Keine following after them to a safe distance.

“So, the shrine maiden finally showed up” Satono said.

“You two. Care to explain why you're causing trouble in the village?” Reimu said.

“We’re not causing trouble. We’re carrying out our orders!” Mai retorted.

“What exactly does Okina have to gain from a street performance?”

“There's plenty to gain here, we’re looking for faith!” Satono responded.

At the mention of faith Kasen jumped into the conversation, abandoning her previous plan of a peaceful resolution. “I'm not going to let that happen”.

“What's the problem? This is no different from the shrine maidens and their faith gathering”

“The problem is Okina! She definitely has an ulterior motive so I’m putting a stop to this” Reimu declared as she summoned a pair of yin yangs orbs to her side in preparation for the battle.


	6. Ghost of a Plan

Mai and Satono sprung off the ground and initiated their attack, the street immediately transforming into a battlefield. Narrow streams of talismans began pouring down from above. The remaining bystanders below all scattering, retreating down the street and indoors out of the reach of the escalating battle. 

“So much for that peaceful resolution… follow those humans, Renko. We’ll find you when the fights’ over!” Marisa shouted as she took off into the fray. The humans had relocated to the end of the street, still intent on watching the conflict unfold. Renko broke out into a run as fast as she could down the beaten dusty road to join them; unsure of what may happen if she was caught in the crossfire. In the distance she saw Aya and the other Tengu had descended, launching their own attacks in an attempt to end the battle as soon as possible.

“This is getting us nowhere”

Renko jumped at the voice. Next to her was Yukari, a parasol propped up on her shoulder as she watched the battle raging on in the sky, her expression almost apathetic. But the low chuckle she released upon hearing Reimu barking an order to cease fire from within the chaos suggested she might be amused. How long had she been standing there? Renko had not heard her approach, but she had a feeling Yukari had never really stopped watching.

“It's not ideal, but we must put an end to this quickly. This is a good chance to speak with Okina, so prepare yourself for a confrontation” Yukari said, her voice lacking any urgency as if the events had long ago become dull to her.

“A confrontation? I know Merry might be under some kind of influence, I’ll try my best to help, but I don't know what to do if we have to face Okina”

“There's no need for you to worry. If Okina wanted to kill you, you would already be dead”

Was that supposed to be encouraging? It brought more worries than closure. Renko’s stay in Gensokyo could have been a very brief one if she had not met Kasen first. Or rather, if Okina hadn't sent her to Kasen first. Renko hoped she had not exhausted her usefulness, or an imminent death would surely await her. Gensokyo must be a terrifying place to live if death can be so imminent.

Going along with Yukari was almost as unpleasant as confronting Okina. Yukari had been nothing but unpredictable so far and Renko wasn't exactly thrilled to be alone with her. ‘But what about Maribel? Is she just the same as these two?’ she thought to herself. The obvious answer was yes, Maribel definitely had the potential to be like Yukari and Okina. But she really isn't like them at all, maybe because she is a human. Even if these powers meant she was more than human, Renko could not imagine a Maribel as cold as her Gensokyo counterparts.

“Lets see if we can talk some sense into Maribel whilst these meddlers are busy” with that Yukari swiped open a border “after you”. The beady disembodied eyes shifting about were enough to make Renko’s skin crawl. Nevertheless she put on a brave face and entered. Once again she was in The Land of Rear Doors, an endless expanse of ever-shifting entryways and exits. Okina was sat in what looked like a recliner at first glance, but it appeared to be a throne of sorts with a door installed on the back. Renko wasn't surprised by Okina’s eccentricities anymore.

“Oh, Yukari. It's certainly been a while since we last spoke” Okina said, the air growing uncomfortable with her sudden casualness.

“Indeed it has… about 18 years now? We must catch up sometime” yukari replied, equally inoffensive.

“Of course! I’m sure you have plenty of stories to share, over some Sake perhaps?”

What a peculiar pair. Renko had anticipated something more… tense, but nothing betrayed the display of good terms, at least from what Renko could tell. If this is all an act then this friendly facade must have spanned centuries. She couldn't help but wonder what would become of the world if they did decide to fight. Maybe they would remain in a stalemate until the end of time. Although that might not be the case now that Maribel is involved.

“Before we start making any plans, I think we ought to settle the incident at hand”

“I’d say it's already settled. I'm clearly outnumbered, so I will withdraw from the village in peace” Okina swiped away at a vision of her servants playing out in front of her, a guaranteed loss by the sounds leaking from within.

“That's not my concern. I’m more curious as to what you want with the outsider”

“I need a replacement servant, as you already know”

“I’m aware of that. I just don't see what you could gain from expanding the border”

“Gensokyo could be much more than it is now. You and the other sages need to realise that this world is becoming stagnant, how can you all be content with Gensokyo as it is now?” Okina said in exasperation.

“The maintenance of Gensokyo is our purpose. Regardless of whether you are content or not, Gensokyo now works as we intended. Even if you use the abilities of the outsider you cannot overpower every other sage. Where is that outsider by the way?”

“...she's right there” Okina gestured to her side. There didn't seem to be anyone standing there, however upon closer inspection there was almost a phantom of a figure, it’s outline blurred like a mirage “it seems I was just a bit too impatient to see a new Gensokyo. But none of that really matters now, I suppose”.

“Merry!” Renko ran over, tripping over herself to grasp at what remained of Maribel. To Renko’s horror her hands fased through the ghostly form unhindered. The silhouette lacked any mass or texture, the remaining shadow looked at her with both inquisitive yet empty eyes. Renko could feel tears burning at the corners of her own eyes, a feeling of extreme dejection while watching the image fade into nothingness. She remained slumped on the floor where the ghost no longer stood.

“You're far too reckless Okina. Maribel’s own abilities are undeveloped, your power is taking a toll on her body” Yukari’s voice lost its calm tone, a hint of her irritation becoming visible.

“Obviously. But you’re only angry because you would rather have her as a shikiga-” whatever Okina had to say was cut short by a sudden slam, then an uproar of shouting erasing the once serene silence of the cavernous dimension.

“Mai close the door!”

“It's too late! They’re already here!”

“Don't you run away from me!” Reimu shouted in her pursuit of the two, flanked by Kasen, Marisa and a flock of Tengu. Some of which were promptly ejected after their entrance from a newly formed door.

“Sorry to cut our conversation short, but I need to deal with this. As for Maribel, after receiving some of my power her own world opened up. I expect you already sensed it within the border so I’ll leave the rest to you two”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't really know how Yukari and Okina would interact. Here I tried to make it so they don't exactly like or dislike each other, but they have to put up with each other because they're both sages.


	7. Maribel's World

Renko had not moved, did not have the strength to move. She remained slumped over, paralyzed in disbelief. Yukari picked her up easily and set her back on her feet to reveal that they were no longer in The Land of Backdoors. This dimension was a stark, clinical white and the sky was obscured by a thick fog, thin wisps drifting around the two like swarming phantoms. The floor was a rippling metallic ocean, as if they stood on liquid mercury, the jagged patterns dancing across the surface warped with every step. It was completely empty space, a living purgatory that would cause any sane human a great deal of fear in the face of nonexistence.

 

“This is Maribel’s world. Even though her consciousness has been divided, we will find her body here” Yukari said, setting off in a random direction, the fog parting and lacing back together behind her.

 

“Is Merry going to be alright?” Renko asked, even though she was afraid of the answer.

 

“We can save her, yes. But I can't say how this experience will affect her mind”

 

They approached another apparition of Maribel, silent and staring. Yukari reached out to it, disturbing it’s form without much trouble, the apparition collapsing into nothing more than dust.

 

“This is the price of omniscience, it is a hefty sum for someone like Maribel”

 

“What makes Merry different from you?”

 

“...Maribel has a human mentality”

 

In the distance there were several other figures, motionless and watching. Fading away with the passing clouds as they inspected the intruders. No two duplicate shared the same face, every passing phantom was another departure from Maribel as Renko knew her, their appearances drifting further and further into the uncanny valley.

 

For a long while they wandered aimlessly, without the sun or stars it was impossible to discern just how much time had passed. The fog deprived them of a horizon, creating the illusion of idleness.

 

“This is a nightmare” Renko said, trying to restrain the tremble in her voice. “It feels like we’re going to be walking through this emptiness forever”.

 

“Maybe so, but we will find the real Maribel. Eventually. It's important that you don't become afraid of this, human fear will only fuel to her ability” Yukari responded, almost indifferent to her complaints.

 

“Why are there so many of her anyway?”

 

“Now that Maribel has become omniscient, she has learned of her own origins. She--”

 

From somewhere in the distance a loud noise was approaching. It sounded like a fog horn, a blaring siren resounding louder and louder. The horn was followed by the screeching of metal, before the fog was pushed aside to make way for an oncoming train. It came to a grinding halt before them, the compartments all recklessly smashed together. A mechanical sigh seeping from it’s still rumbling innards. The trail of carriages stretched either way beyond the white shroud in a misshapen zig-zig due to the lack of tracks. It was a modern, square-shaped train that wouldn't look out of place in a Tokyo station, it was somewhat familiar to Renko, perhaps they had boarded this train once before.

 

The sliding doors slide opened silently, inviting the two inside. Without much hesitation Yukari floated up onto the platform gracefully and Renko climbed up after her into the compartment. Either way the train stretched into the horizon, it was slightly dizzying to look at the impossibly distant interior. She joined Yukari on one of the seats, afterwards the train promptly closed the door and began moving again, building up speed until a gentle hum could be heard from the inner workings.

 

“Back to what I was saying… it might help Maribel to hear an explanation. Before the creation of Gensokyo, the Youkai Sages were all one being. We split ourselves up in order to manage the border. As for Maribel, she was meant to be more human than the rest of us, so that when the time came for her to return to Gensokyo we could have an outsider’s perspective. We thought that would be a key component in the future of Gensokyo; some insurance for evolution”

 

In the neighboring cabin Renko could see Maribel, motionless in her seat.

 

“But things have changed since then, we can’t all agree so easily anymore. In the past 1,200 years we have all developed in different ways and our visions for Gensokyo are no longer the same. As for Okina, shes come to view humans as nothing but cattle unless they serve a purpose for her. She was correct that Gensokyo has become stagnant, so she must have become impatient with our ‘human’ counterpart”

 

“...It sounds cruel, to just leave Merry without any idea of who or what she was”

 

“Youkai are cruel, its in our nature. That's why we needed a youkai with a better understanding of humanity; for our delicate equilibrium to continue to exist. We’ll ultimately be doomed just like the Lunarians if we don't come to understand the worlds around our own”

 

Before Renko had realised it, the carriages were becoming extremely dense around them. A hundred duplicates all packed in like sardines in a can, swaying with the momentum of the train, all carefully keeping their distance from the other two passengers.

 

“I hope this train is leading us somewhere” Renko said, straining her eyes through the dense fog, uncertain if the monolithic objects speeding past were truly there or just her imagination.

 

“I’m sure Maribel must have some conscious control of this world. I think she is attempting to gather herself up at the very least”

 

Once again the sound of a fog horn sounded from the front of the train, signalling the approach of their destination. Outside Renko could see many different oddities ripped away from the outside world: run-down cars, bus stops, lamp posts, a series of signs and stop lights.

 

Once again the brakes began bringing the train to a screeching standstill, however the train came to an immediate, nerve-racking halt. Renko winced at the earsplitting sound of metal twisting and contorting, a wave of heat flooding the air and an orange glow permeating from the base of a concrete skyscraper.

 

“Maybe this is the place… is it familiar to you?” Yukari asked calmly.

 

Scaffolding clung to the sides of the building, swaying precariously above the wrecked vehicle. Winding vines webbed across its walls, hosting gigantic spider lilies.

 

“It looks like one of the dorm buildings from our campus, but there's no construction work going on right now. And it definitely doesn't have giant flowers hanging from it”

 

Yukari cut through the vine blocking the entrance with ease, exposing the hollow inner sanctum, the inside was no bigger than a room rather than a 7 story building. Maribel was laying silently on the floor, distinctly corporeal. Renko was overjoyed to have found her and also terrified when Maribel didn't react at all. The only sound that was heard was something like an iceberg being split in two, echoing in some far off region of the pocket dimension.

 

“Listen Renko, I’m going to send you two back home. For now, please return to your normal lives”

 

“What about these powers? Is Maribel really going to be ok?” 

 

“Okina’s power is beginning to wear off, she will return to normal soon. Just remember: It's inevitable that Maribel will be able to reach Gensokyo with her own power one day. I'll be waiting for you, so live as humans until then” Yukari spoke with serious yet somewhat grim voice, paying no mind to the tremors running throughout the now collapsing world.

 

For a moment gravity seemed to have disappeared, in a brief moment of terror Renko feared that whatever structure they had wound up in had crumbled.

 

The ensuing destruction grew distant and then silent, replaced by the familiar ambience of Tokyo. A police siren howling somewhere, a plane flying overhead, not a single thing out of the ordinary. Maribel remained asleep, Yukari had even taken the liberty of tucking her into bed. Renko decided against waking her up, it would probably be best to just let her rest after everything that had happened. The digital clock on the bedside table read 6:18 AM. Now that her adrenaline was wearing off and Renko could feel her own exhaustion setting in. But with thoughts of Youkai and  Doppelgängers swirling about her mind, she likely wouldn't sleep peacefully.

  
  


**************

**Epilogue**

  
  


“What a mess...” Sumireko commented as she flipped through the special edition Bunbunmaru paper, its title read: ‘Sage’s Breakout Infamy: Interview with Self-Proclaimed God Okina Matara’. “And what happened to Renko after that?”.

 

“No idea, we couldn't find her in the village and Okina played dumb when we questioned her” Marisa replied “we never met that Maribel she kept talking about either”.

 

“I asked Yukari about it and she told me she sent them back to their university… whatever that is” Reimu said dismissively whilst preparing a stack of talismans, carefully drawing the characters onto each one with expert precision.

 

“If that's the case then they're probably fine. Although It's a bit worrying to know my  doppelgänger was here, I thought this would be the last place I would possibly cross paths with them”

 

“Who knows if they'll even come here again. Okina got told off by Kasen and it looks like Yukari would rather keep them outside” 

 

“...where is Kasen by the way?”

 

“She's been hanging around the village, apparently some humans were open to the idea of a new God. Said she wanted to stamp it out before it becomes a problem” Reimu said absent-mindedly “I’m going to meet her there later and advertise the shrine”.

 

“If that was all she wanted why would she need Maribel and Renko? Something about that just doesn't add up” Sumireko said, setting down the paper with a perplexed look on her face.

 

“Yeah, if you ask me i think this might have been a failed incident. Not that Okina would admit that. Or maybe Yukari just got there first. What do you think, Reimu?” Marisa asked coolly.

 

“Who knows…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, that's my weird theory. What I'm saying here is that Okina, Maribel and Yukari were all once the same being, hence the similarities. That includes the other Sages we haven't met yet. I'm sure it could be disproven easily or we can just chalk it up to ZUN's art style, but I hope the story was at least interesting.
> 
> By the way, I'm sorry it took such a long time to post this. I was really ill for a while and nothing got done. Anyway, if you've read through this whole thing then thank you for sticking with my horrible pacing.


End file.
